Girls' Night Out
by MysticalGoddessOfWords
Summary: Just what does Walter think of Paige's new BFF? And when did Ralph learn to read him so well?


Disclaimer: I don't own anything Scorpion.

This is set about a month after episode 15 – Da Bomb and before episode 16 because that hasn't aired yet.

Thanks, as always, for reading and reviewing.

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Girls' Night Out**

"Hey, Ralph," Walter greeted as he walked into the garage, surprised, but pleased, to find the young genius standing in front of one of Sylvester's chalk boards.

"Hi Walter," Ralph turned and grinned at him and Walter smiled back. The young boy had Paige's smile and the sight of it on either mother or son always made him feel a little bit happier than he'd been a moment earlier.

"I didn't expect you to still be here," Walter said as he put his computer bag on his desk. He'd been at Richard Elia's office for most of the day helping install a new security system on his network. Despite the snafu with his smart building months earlier, Richard still sought Walter's help with anything IT related.

And he paid incredibly well…. so there was that too.

"I'm hanging out with Sly tonight," Ralph replied as he put his chalk down and walked over to Paige's desk to grab his bottle of water. "We're doing algorithms."

"I barely have one up and he's got it solved," Sylvester said with pride in his voice.

Walter glanced at the clock on his computer screen to note it was almost seven. "Where's your mom?" he asked as he looked around the room for Paige.

He'd barely seen her that morning before he left and he thought he wouldn't see her again until Monday. He was pleased he was wrong.

"She's upstairs in the loft getting ready," Ralph said as he walked back over to the chalkboard and proceeded to solve another of Sylvester's algorithms before the mathematician could even finish writing it on the board.

"Ready for what?" Walter's brow furrowed as he looked toward the loft.

Before Ralph could answer the door to the garage opened and Walter turned to see someone he never expected to see again.

"Linda?" he arched a brow curiously as he walked toward her.

"Hi Walter," she said and looked almost surprised to see him, which Walter thought was curious since this was not only his office but his home.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he shoved his hands in his pockets at the same time Ralph called up the stairs.

"Mom, Linda is here."

"Hey, Linda. I'll be right down," Paige called from above.

"No problem. I'm a little early," she called back before looking over at Ralph. "Hi Ralph," she said as she smiled at the young boy and Walter wondered she and the young genius could have met. She was long gone by the time he got home from school that day.

"Hi Linda," Ralph greeted and Walter could have sworn the boy was blushing.

The genius pursed his lips and looked up at the loft and then back at Linda as his brow furrowed again. Linda was wearing a silver sequin dress with heels and it was clear she was ready for a night on the town.

"What are you doing here, Linda?" he asked again.

"She and mom are going clubbing," Ralph offered helpfully but Sylvester slapped his hand over his mouth before he could say anymore.

"How the heck do you know about clubbing?" Sylvester asked and the young genius's response was muffled against his hand.

Walter frowned and looked back at Linda but, before he could inquire any further about her and Paige's plans, he was distracted by the sound of heels clicking on the stairs behind him. He turned and his eyes widened slightly before he managed to school his features as Paige reached the bottom and looked over at him, also appearing surprised to see him.

Why was everyone so surprised to see him in his own house?

"Oh, Walter," she said as she placed her clutch on her desk and smoothed down the almost knee length black dress she was wearing.

Walter recognized it as he one she wore during their time in Africa on the Sun Gun case. It looked lovely on her but the knowledge of where she and Linda were clearly going made him suddenly find the dress a little too tight and a little too short for his liking.

"I didn't think you'd be back so soon," Paige said as her lips curved into a forced smile.

"Evidently no one did," he muttered as he shot a quick glance at Linda before looking back to Paige.

"I thought you and Richard were having dinner," she said trying to distract him because she could see the questions in his eyes. She wasn't ready to tell him about her and Linda and had honestly thought they'd be long gone before he got back. But no such luck apparently and now the cat was out of the bag, so to speak.

"His wife called," Walter replied indifferently. "Something about his in-laws showing up unannounced so he had to head home."

He kept his eyes on her face because they so badly wanted to drop to her legs. He didn't remember that dress revealing so much of them.

"Oh," Paige said she looked around him at Linda. "Thanks for picking me up here, Lin. It was much easier just to get ready here than go home and have to bring Ralph back to Sly."

"No worries," Linda shrugged as she smiled. "Since it's my turn to be the designated driver it doesn't matter either way where I pick you up or drop you off."

"Designated driver?" Walter said as he crossed his arms over his chest and he arched his brow at Paige.

"Yeah," Linda replied even though the question wasn't directed at her. "Paige drove last week so it's my turn this week."

"What's a designated driver?" Walter heard Ralph ask Sly at the same time but the mathematician just shushed him.

"Can I have a word with you before you leave?" Walter asked abruptly.

"Uh… sure," Paige said and Walter turned and walked toward the kitchen. Paige sighed softly and followed, expecting him to stop in the kitchen but he just kept walking across the garage until he reached the door of the room they used periodically for interrogations. Paige wondered at the irony of that as she suspected she was about to be interrogated.

Walter stepped inside the small room and stood by the door. Paige followed him in before he shut it behind her.

"What the hell are you doing, Paige?" Walter dove right in and asked sharply.

"Excuse me?" Paige replied as she arched her brow and folded her arms across her chest.

He mimicked her posture as he asked, "Since when are you and Linda friends?"

Paige sighed. She knew this was going to happen when he found out. "For a couple of weeks," she replied honestly know there was no use lying to him.

He frowned and she could practically see his brain working overtime in his head. "I don't understand. How did this happen?"

Paige knew that although she didn't owe him an explanation, she _did_ owe him an explanation. She didn't want to betray Linda's trust but the blonde never, technically, told Paige not to tell Walter. She dropped her arms hoping it would encourage him to also drop his defenses.

"She called me a few days after everything happened. She was having trouble dealing with it and needed someone to talk to. Someone who was there and could understand the fear she experienced. So she asked me to lunch."

"Why didn't she call me?"

Walter seemed genuinely confused and Paige paused to consider her next words carefully. She knew Walter had been hurt by Linda's words that day even though he never admitted it.

"Because you don't process fear like the rest of us," she said simply.

"She didn't know that."

"It's hard to miss Walter," Paige said gently. "When she had time to go back and think after the danger was over, she realized I wasn't the same as all of you and she wanted to know how I did it."

"Why didn't you tell me she called?" Walter pursed his lips as he leaned against the interrogation table.

Paige shrugged. "I just thought we would have lunch and I'd help her process it all, you know. Then I'd never see her again so I didn't think it was worth bringing up."

"But you have seen each other again, more than once, apparently since you make it a habit go out _clubbing_ ," Walter said the word with distaste. He never understood the desire to go to a place where the music was so loud that a person couldn't even participate in a conversation.

She ignored his jab because she knew he was trying to get under her skin and she refused to let him. "As it turns out we hit it off. We have a lot of similar interests."

"What could you possibly have in common with her? I didn't know she was a single mother too?" Walter asked and Paige narrowed her eyes at him.

"Being a single mother does not define who I am, Walter. And that was rude even for you."

"That didn't come out quite like I intended," he sighed but he refrained from actually apologizing. He was feeling betrayed and he was lashing out and, logically, he knew he was overreacting but he didn't think Paige lied to him. Technically she didn't lie, she just didn't tell him but a lie of omission was still a lie. "I just don't understand what the two of you could possibly have in common."

Paige sighed and shook her head. "Walter, we're both single women in our late twenties of average intellect. We have plenty in common."

"That is just a completely illogical statement, Paige," he scoffed.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You have above average intellect, for a normal, Paige," he replied and she knew it was an unintentional compliment but his passive aggressive behavior was overshadowing it. "And Linda's is likely close enough to yours that I suppose, logically, the two of you would find things in common to make a friendship plausible."

Walter was talking more to himself as he worked through the idea that Paige and Linda could possibly be friends.

"Walter," Paige said his name and she stepped closer to him automatically, trying to bring him back to the conversation.

"So the two of you go clubbing?" Walter asked brusquely, again not even trying to hide the distaste in his voice.

She had been reaching for his hand when he spoke but she decided at the last minute to pull her hand back and she sighed.

"Walter, I don't have many girlfriends. My whole life has been Ralph, for so long; I almost forgot what it was like to go out and just have a night to myself….. to kick back and let loose a little bit."

Walter wondered if she realized how her words completely contradicted her assertion a minute earlier that being a single mother didn't define her. But he was smart enough not to bring it up at that moment.

"It's nice to have someone outside the garage, you know. We're just two women having drinks and dancing and even though I love all of you, including my son," she said and her words were casual but they still shot right through him. "Sometimes I need a break from all the genius around me."

Her eyes implored him to understand and he wasn't so emotionally stunted anymore that he couldn't recognize the validity of her words. It was one of the things that he worried about when analyzing his ever growing feelings for her.

Could she handle all of him? She said his weirdness was great but that was easy to say when she wasn't forced to deal the way she would if they were in a relationship.

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" he asked again.

Paige bit her lip gently. "I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it."

"I have no feelings about it either way," he said but it was clear from his behavior he was either lying to her or himself.

"So what's the interrogation about?" she asked as she arched her brow.

"I'm not interrogating you. I'm just asking a question."

"Or ten," Paige said as she rolled her eyes. "Does it bother you that Linda and I are friends?"

He looked at her for a long minute before he shook his head. "No. She's a nice enough person and if you enjoy her company then you should be friends with her."

She looked at him, her eyes scanning his face for any sign of dishonestly but she found none. Walter met her gaze evenly because she could read him better than anyone now and it was a bit disconcerting.

"Okay," she said as she smiled and Walter could see the relief in her eyes. He wasn't sure if what he'd just said was the complete truth but he wouldn't want to deny Paige the opportunity to have a friend outside the garage.

"I just wish you would have told me," he said as he pushed off the edge of the table. "I would have been happy to watch Ralph for you."

Paige could hear the genuine hurt in his tone.

"I know," she replied as she reached out and squeezed his forearm gently. Since they'd held hands that night on the beach she'd wanted to do it again. But she'd extended her hand first that time. The next time it had to be his move. "I'm sorry, Walter. I wasn't hiding it. I knew I would have to tell you eventually but I just didn't know how to bring it up."

He nodded thoughtfully but remained silent.

"And I know you would watch Ralph for me. There is no one I trust more with Ralph than you."

He nodded again but still remained silent.

"So are we good here?" she asked as she motioned between them.

"Of course we are," he answered his tone indicating that it was illogical she was even asking the question. And it made her laugh softly.

"Okay. Well I'm going to go then. Sly is taking Ralph to his place to sleep over so they shouldn't be in your hair for long."

"They can stay as long as they like."

"Thank you, Walter," she smiled again before she turned to open the door.

"Paige?" Walter said her name just as her fingers wrapped around the handle."

She looked over her shoulder at him. "Yes, Walter?"

"You look lovely."

He didn't know what compelled him to tell her but even his 197 brain couldn't stop him from saying the words.

"Bending?" she asked as she smiled again and his lips curved into a smirk.

"Straight," he replied his voice serious and she knew, despite his smirk, he was being honest.

"Have a good night, Walter."

He nodded but didn't return the sentiment. He couldn't bring himself to because part of him worried she might just have too good of a night.

##################

Walter stood inside the interrogation room until he heard the garage door close behind Paige and Linda. The he walked out to find Ralph and Sly back at their chalkboards.

He walked over to his desk and removed his computer from his bag and uploaded his latest work to their cloud server as Ralph and Sylvester continued their algorithms.

He wasn't sure how much time passed before he felt Ralph standing next to his desk watching him.

"What's up buddy?" he asked as he focused his attention on the young boy.

"Is it weird that my mom and Linda are friends now?" Ralph asked as he mimicked the stance Walter always made with his hands in his pockets and his lips pursed.

Walter looked at him for a long moment before he answered, giving the young genius a little bit different answer than he'd given his mom.

"Maybe a little bit," he said honestly.

"Is it because you dated Linda and you want to date my mom?" Ralph asked knowingly.

Walter sputtered as he tried to formulate a response that didn't admit to anything. But the best he could come up with sounded lame even to him.

"What makes you think I want to date your mom?"

The look Ralph gave him was the same one he got from Paige when she knew he was avoiding giving a real answer. "Walter, don't insult my intelligence."

Walter heard Sly snicker from the other side of the room and he sighed, resigned. "Okay, yes, it is a little awkward at the moment but in the long run it will probably be fine."

"That doesn't answer my question," Ralph challenged as he put his hand on Walter's shoulder.

Walter looked at the boy as he said exactly what his mother did when he practiced avoidance.

"Do you want to date my mom?" Ralph asked again a little more slowly and Walter couldn't help the smirk that curved his lips. The kid was more tenacious than his mother.

"It's not that simple, Ralph," Walter tried to explain but Ralph just interrupted him.

"Why not?"

Walter decided the best course of action was to tell Ralph the truth.

"Because your mom is my colleague and one of my closest friends and I don't want to ruin that."

"Why would it ruin it?" Ralph asked as confusion marred his features.

"Because I'm not equipped to give a woman what she needs emotionally. I ruin every relationship I attempt."

"That's because they don't know you," Ralph insisted in that earnest way that so resembled his mother. "They just don't know how great you are."

"A lot of people, women in particular, would disagree with that assessment," Walter sighed.

"It shouldn't matter what anyone else but my mom thinks," Ralph offered simply.

"And what does your mom think?" Walter asked hesitantly, not sure he really wanted to know.

"My mom thinks you're great. Sometimes you drive her nuts and make her want to strangle you." Walter tilted his head briefly as he silently acknowledged what was probably the validity of that statement. "But that's only because she cares." Ralph paused for a few seconds, biting his lip, and Walter waited because he could tell the boy had more he wanted to say. "And I think she wants to date you too."

Walter blinked as he sat back in his chair. "Why do you think that?"

Ralph shrugged in that innocent ten year old way. "Because sometimes she says your name in her sleep. And I just know my mom; she's not hard to read."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Walter muttered refusing to ponder the meaning of the first part of Ralph's answer.

"So why don't you just ask her out?" the young genius pressed and Walter heard Sly snicker again. He shot the mathematician a sharp look before his eyes slid back at Ralph.

"It wouldn't bother you if I did?"

At first Walter didn't realize he was holding his breath as he waited for Ralph's reply but when he heard the first word the genius exhaled with relief. And he wasn't sure what to make of that exactly.

"No," Ralph replied matter-of-factly. "I want her and you to be happy and neither one, of you, seems happy without the other," the young genius added with another shrug before he turned and walked away without another word, leaving Walter to contemplate their conversation.

################

Five hours later, Walter stood in front of the bank of computer monitors as he checked the code on several of them at once trying to find the glitch that was crashing the program he was writing. Sly had gone home two hours earlier, after Ralph beat him at their tenth game of chess. The young chess wizard was currently sprawled out on the sofa, asleep, with Ferret Bueller tucked against his side.

The garage door opened and Paige and Linda came stumbling in, giggling, but Paige, wide eyed, slapped her hand over her mouth when she saw Ralph sprawled out asleep on the sofa next to Walter's desk.

"Ooops," she said in an exaggerated whisper before he eyes softened. "There's my baby," she said, attempting to walk straight as she headed toward the sofa by way of the work table.

"What are you two doing back here?" Walter asked as Paige ran her hand along the length of his arm as she walked by him.

The touch made him involuntarily shudder.

"She wanted to see Ralph," Linda replied since Paige was too focused on her son to answer. Walter tore his eyes from Paige and looked at the blond as she walked toward the table. "We went to your friend's apartment and woke him up. He said he left Ralph with you. So she insisted on coming here."

Walter looked back toward Paige to see her sitting on the edge of the sofa running her fingers gently through Ralph's hair as she watched him sleep. Watching the two of them together always did strange things to his insides, despite how illogical it was.

"Paige was pretty adamant. I hope that's okay," Linda said and Walter's gaze returned to her.

"Of course it is," he replied before his eyes slid back to the woman in question. She was leaning over Ralph, nuzzling the hair just beside his ear. He could see her mouth moving but due to the angle he couldn't read her lips, but they were curved and her eyes were closed and the sight did even stranger things to his insides.

The boy didn't even flinch, clearly in a very deep sleep, but that's what happened to the genius brain. Ralph, like Walter himself, didn't need as much sleep as someone with a less dense brain, but sleep was essential to brain function, so when geniuses slept, they slept hard. Walter typically slept only four to five hours a night. But he was capable of deliberately putting himself into REM sleep, which was the most important stage for brain function, so those few hours were more productive and enough to allow for his brain to function at full capacity. Ralph was also capable of intentionally entering REM sleep, but as a growing child he needed closer to six to seven hours of sleep.

Paige had always worried her son didn't get enough sleep for his growing body and developing brain until Walter explained what he was capable of and then she just simply accepted it as she had learned to do when it came to the abilities of her genius son.

Ferret Bueller woke up and chattered excitedly before crawling up onto her shoulder and tucking his head under her hair. Paige chuckled and sat up again as Walter realized the silence that had taken over the garage as he had been watching her.

"It seems the two of you enjoyed your _girls' night out_ ," he said in an attempt to break what had become awkward silence. If it had just been him and Paige it wouldn't have been awkward.

"Yeah," Linda agreed as she laughed, either oblivious to his disdain for the concept or Paige had warned her about his lack of filter, so she just decided not to be offended. Either way, Walter pursed his lips at her response. That wasn't really what he wanted to hear despite the evidence to the contrary. "Paige is a lot of fun." Linda continued as she smiled at him. "I really like her. She knows how to make you feel so comfortable that you can get out of your own head for a while, you know."

Walter nodded because, yes, he did know. She was able to do that for him too. In fact, she was one of the only people capable of doing that for him.

When he didn't reply Linda spoke again. "I know she told you about why I called her. I hope I didn't overstep any bounds, Walter."

"Why would that be overstepping any bounds?" he asked as he looked at her, his brow furrowing, wondering why she was telling him this. Why were normals always so worried about overstepping bounds?

She smiled hesitantly. "I probably should have called you since you were the only one I really knew, but there was just something about the way she stayed calm and collected that day. It was like she was used to being in that kind of danger. And from what little she's told me you guys are in danger a lot."

Walter frowned and he again looked over at Paige, unable to keep his eyes off her. She had put Ferret Bueller back on the sofa beside Ralph and she leaned over and kissed the young boy's forehead. Linda's words hit home for him because she wasn't wrong. The entire team was put in danger and almost killed quite frequently and Paige was able to keep calmer than most of them, most of the time.

"And I just wanted another woman's prospective on how to deal with it, you know. But it's kind of a weird situation I guess," she shrugged halfheartedly.

"Why would it be weird?" he asked even more confused than ever at the point she was trying to make. "You and I went on one date, Linda, and it didn't go well. That shouldn't prevent you from being friends with Paige. I shouldn't even factor into the equation."

"Yeah, but considering she, uh…..never mind," Linda stopped speaking suddenly and Walter pursed his lips. "Anyway, she talked me through it and I made a new friend in the process. So I can't believe I'm saying this but thank you for almost getting me blown up and for not, in any way shape or form, being the guy for me."

Walter hummed to himself noncommittally at her vague insult and she just laughed at his look.

Walter looked over at Paige and Ralph again. She was just looking down at her son, once again running her fingers through his hair gently.

Walter's lips curved up on the right. Ralph hated when she did that. He'd confided in Walter, once, that it made him feel a bit like Ferret Bueller, almost like she was petting him. But when Walter explained to him that it was Paige's way of physically connecting with him, to fulfill her need for touch that so many normals seem to have, Ralph logically recognized it was the same desire he had, when he was younger, to hold her hand. The young boy still craved that kind of contact from his mom, even though he seldom initiated physical contact with her. But after his explanation Walter noticed Ralph stopped trying to pull away when she did it.

Walter had been meaning to drop a hint to Paige that it might be wise to find another way to touch Ralph so he didn't feel so much like a pet. But like Ralph, Walter secretly enjoyed when Paige touched him, more than he would ever readily admit to anyone. So Walter kept his mouth shut in case she misinterpreted his suggestion and she stopped touching him as well.

And Walter suspected that if Paige ever ran her fingers through his hair like that, he would feel very differently than the young boy. In fact, the one time she did it, when she was trying to teach him how to flirt with Sima, Walter thought his knees were going to give out beneath him.

Even now, just the thought of her nimble little fingers caressing any part of his body made Walter wish he had the courage to tell her how much he liked it.

"Well it's late," Linda's voice penetrated his internal musings. "I have to meet my mom for breakfast tomorrow."

"Okay," he said absently not really paying attention to her.

"I should probably take her and Ralph home now."

"I've got her," Walter said his eyes never leaving Paige, and then he amended. "I've got them."

"Okay," Linda said from beside him before he heard her clear her throat. "You know, Walter, you're not as alone here and in danger of getting eaten by your ferret as you think you are," she said gently and Walter's eyes whipped back to meet hers. "Tell her I'll call her tomorrow."

When she turned and started to walk away, Walter said her name quietly so as to not draw Paige's attention to them.

"Linda?"

"Yeah," she said as she looked back at him.

"Thank you for bringing her home."

Linda smiled at him and he could tell she understood his meaning.

"You're welcome, Walter. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he murmured as his eyes were drawn back to Paige and Ralph.

The door shut behind Linda and Walter shoved his hands in his pockets and walked over to stand beside the sofa.

"I love this child more than life itself," Paige sighed quietly without looking away from her son.

"You should let him sleep, Paige," Walter murmured as he started to reach out to her. He flexed his fingers as they got close to her shoulder then he pulled his hand away.

Paige turned sideways and stood quickly. "Thank you for letting him stay here….whoa," Paige squeaked as she teetered backwards. "Head rush," she giggled softly as Walter's hands whipped out and grabbed her before she could fall onto Ralph.

"Careful," he muttered as he pulled her a few feet away. "This is why people shouldn't drink alcohol."

"Ooops," she giggled again this time a little louder, oblivious to his scolding.

Her face was flushed and her eyes were glassy and she looked so impossibly beautiful in that moment. She slipped her arms around his waist and pressed closer to him.

"Shhh," he scolded gently even as his entire body shuddered from her touch. "You'll wake him up."

"No we won't," Paige shook her head as she wiggled against him. "He's like you, he doesn't sleep much but when he does he sleeps like the dead."

"That's a horrible comparison," Walter replied through gritted teeth as his entire body stiffened at the feel of her soft one moving against him.

He gently grabbed her wrists and unwound them from his body. She didn't even try to hide her pout but she stepped back and gave him some room.

"He used to terrify me when he was a baby," she said slid her fingers through her hair. The motion and her close proximity sent the scent of her wafting over him. Walter felt his abdomen clench and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and inhale.

"I couldn't wake him up sometimes and it sent me into a panic," Paige continued completely oblivious to his silent dilemma. "Drew never understood though. He always just told me I was paranoid and to leave him alone and let him sleep."

"Drew's an idiot," Walter said abruptly and then his eyes widened as Paige looked at him surprised by his outburst. "I said that out loud, didn't I?" he muttered as he reached up and scratched the back of his neck.

"Yes you did," Paige replied a little more seriously as she looked briefly over her shoulder at Ralphs's sleeping form. "And you should be careful what you say when Ralph's around," she scolded with a small frown.

"Like you said he's practically unconscious," Walter said refusing to use the dead analogy. "And I've never said anything negative about Drew in front of Ralph and I never would."

She could hear the hurt in his tone and her eyes softened again. "I know."

"I just despise him for what he did to you and Ralph," Walter muttered and she stepped closer to him once more, only this time she didn't slide her arms around his waist but up over his shoulders.

"I know," she murmured again as she slid her fingers into his hair and, for the second time in his life, Walter felt like his knees were going to give out on him. "It's very sexy how protective you are of us," she purred as her nose skimmed over his chin.

"P..P..Paige, what are you….what are you….what are you doing?" Walter stuttered multiple times as he tilted his head back because the feel of her warm breath against his neck was making it hard to think. He kept his arms stiffly at his sides just because of how desperately he wanted to grab her.

Her lips curved into a sultry smile. "It's even sexier when you stutter like that." She pressed closer to him as her fingers scratched gently against his scalp and his body shuddered again of its own volition. "You don't think I notice it, but I do. You always stutter when I get too close."

"Paige, you're drunk," he said as he swallowed thickly and clenched his fists at his sides.

She shook her head and another light giggle bubbled up out of her. "I'm not drunk, Walter. A little tipsy, maybe," she admitted as her eyes twinkled with mischief. "But I haven't felt this good in a long time."

Walter tried to step back from her but she just moved with him.

"I should probably get you and Ralph home," Walter said as his hand finally gripped her hips. He wanted to yank her closer but he forced himself to push her away.

"Party pooper," Paige pouted. "But I guess I should get him home. Hey Lin," Paige looked around for her friend, confusion clouding her features when she didn't see the blonde.

"She left," Walter said.

"Why would she do that?" Paige frowned wondering why Linda would just leave her knowing she wasn't capable of driving herself home.

"I told her I'd take care of you...uh... of getting you home, I mean."

"You shouldn't have to do that," she said as she shook her head. "I can probably drive." She stumbled around Walter and headed toward the stairs.

"You're not driving anywhere, Paige. Don't be ridiculous," he scoffed quietly as he turned to watch her.

"Well I'm not going to walk. Especially in these freaking shoes." She stopped at her desk and grasped the back of her chair as she leaned down and slipped her shoes off her feet and then proceeded to walk rather unsteadily up the stairs.

Walter sighed and followed. He caught up with her at the top. "Paige, if you insist on going home I'll drive you but it's already late and you should let Ralph sleep."

She walked into his apartment and grabbed the duffle bag that was beside the door. She turned to walk back out and ran straight into Walter's chest.

"Ooomph," she said as Walter grunted and reached out to grab her arms to keep her from toppling backwards again.

"Just stay here tonight," he said and then he stopped as he realized what he said. He quickly released her and the look in her eyes told him she was as surprised as he was at his suggestion.

Paige scrunched up her face as she pondered his words. "I guess I could sleep on the sofa with Ralph. Or in the Airstream."

"No," he said, unwilling to let her do either such thing. "I'll sleep in the Airstream. You take my bed."

Before he'd met her he never would have offered such a thing. He wouldn't have even thought to offer such a thing. But her influence on him, her presence in his life, had changed him in so many elemental ways he was constantly surprising both of them.

Paige dropped her bag and turned to walk further into the apartment. He shoved his hands in his pockets and followed her.

"I need a drink," she said as she walked to his cupboard and reached up for a glass.

"I think you've had enough to drink tonight," Walter said as he walked to the other side of the counter.

"Relax Walter," she snorted. "I just want a glass of water."

"That's a good idea," he agreed. "It will lessen your hangover tomorrow."

Paige rolled her eyes as she poured herself a glass of water and then walked around the counter and toward the sitting area. "I don't get hangovers. It was great when I was in college."

Walter pursed his lips as he pondered a younger version of the woman in front of him, before she was a mother, before Drew got her pregnant and forced her to abandon her education because he was too lazy to wear a condom. Just the thought of Drew touching her made Walter's palms sweat.

The soft sound of Paige's giggled brought him back to the present and he inhaled sharply as he felt her fingers brush between his eyebrows.

"What…what are you doing?" he stuttered as he stepped around her needing some distance.

"You're so adorable when you make that face," she chuckled again as she followed him.

He stepped back and hit the coffee table with the back of his calves as he cleared this throat uneasily. "I'm just going to go back downstairs so you can get some sleep."

"You don't have to go back down. I'm sure we can find something to do up here," she purred and her eyes darkened as she ran her hands down the sides of her body.

"Uh… I think it's best for both of us if I go down right now," he swallowed thickly and his eyes followed her hands as his own ached to take their place.

She could feel the heat of his gaze and Paige hiccupped softly before she hurled herself at him, gripping his cheeks in her palms as she pressed her lips to his. His arms shot out to his sides and he froze. She pressed her warm, soft body against him as her tongue slid along the seam of his lips requesting entrance. He parted them in surprise and she took advantage and slipped her tongue in and she moaned as the tip of hers found his.

She tasted sweet, like something fruity, mixed with the taste he remembered from their previous kiss, something that he imagined was uniquely her. He held himself still as she kissed him, unable to respond to her kiss even though he desperately wanted to.

He shoved his arms behind his back to keep from grabbing her and he titled his head back.

"Paige, stop. I don't want this," he mumbled and she pulled back, a look of hurt filling her eyes, and Walter realized his mistake instantly.

Damn his lack of verbal filter.

Paige felt rejected and embarrassed and she turned and started to walk away.

Walter, going on an instinct he didn't even know he possessed, grabbed her, yanking her until the entire length of her body was against him, her back against his front.

"Walter, let me go," she begged as she inhaled a shuddering breath. Of course he didn't want her when she was like this.

"No," Walter refused gruffly as he tightened his arms around her when she tried to wiggle away.

In a completely uncharacteristic move, he bucked his hips against her ass. The move surprised them both and, despite the disappointment coursing through her body, Paige moaned softly in response.

"I want you, Paige," he growled against the shell of her ear as he pressed his very obvious arousal against her. "Don't doubt that I want you."

Her eyes fluttered closed and she moaned in response as her head fell back against his shoulder. "But you don't want me like this. Not when I'm drunk and horny. I get it."

"I don't think you do," he growled. "Just because I too often act to the contrary, don't think you don't affect me and that I don't find it incredibly hard to keep my distance from you."

Paige snickered and Walter pulled his lips away from her ear. "Is that funny to you?"

Her snicker morphed into soft giggles. "No, it's just that you said incredibly hard."

"And why is that funny?" His brow furrowed as he asked.

She wiggled, still in his strong grasp and pressed her ass against him. "That's why," she said breathlessly as she felt his body react instantly, hardening even further against her.

Walter stepped back quickly as he shook his head, some semblance of sense and reason returning to him. He stepped away from her, and turned her around to face him before her dropped his hands away from her.

"This is why this conversation should not be happening when you're intoxicated."

"Let's face it Walter, this conversation wouldn't be happening if I wasn't intoxicated," she snorted as she titled her head.

He sighed because this exchange was going to be a mistake if it went any further. "Paige, just go to bed. We can talk in the morning if you even remember this conversation."

Paige could see his frustration and her eyes softened and she tried to focus on the words she wanted to say. "Walter, I'm sorry," she said contritely. "I don't find this conversation funny. I actually find it sad that we can't seem to have it when one of us isn't impaired. And for the record, keeping my distance from you is incredibly hard for me too."

By the time she said the last four words she was giggling again.

"Sorry, sorry," she said breathlessly. "But I just.…" she trailed off as her eyes glanced down, pointedly, to where his very obvious arousal was still pressing insistently against the front of his pants.

He tugged his shirt out of the waistband and yanked it down to conceal his desire for her. This was the reason why he started wearing his shirts untucked, most of the time, because he found himself aroused just being near her more than was probably considered normal. And it was just one more reason why he doubted he could be normal because desiring a woman as much as he desired Paige couldn't possibly be normal.

"This conversation is over for tonight," he said firmly knowing he needed to get out of there and fast before he did something they both regretted. "You take my bed, Paige, and don't argue with me, okay. Just do it, please, and I'll go down and sleep in the Airstream."

Paige frowned realizing she had not only embarrassed him but disappointed him too and that sobered her more quickly than his rejection had.

So she did the only thing she could think of at that moment.

She lunged at him again and he stumbled back from her momentum. She fused her lips to his and he grunted into her mouth as her tongue slipped past his lips again.

Unable to resist any longer, Walter wrapped his arms around her, almost as if they had a mind of their own, and he clutched her closer as the feel of her soft body against him seeped into his bones.

The back of his legs hit the sofa and he dropped down as she, more nimbly than a woman in her condition should have been able to, crawled on top of him, straddling his lap as she continued to kiss him.

She pressed down on him and they both moaned simultaneously as his body surged once again, unable to hide its gratification at her proximity.

Paige slid her fingers through the short strands of his hair as Walter mimicked her actions with one of his. He thrust his fingers through the long silky strands and tugged her head backward as his other hand gripped her ass and held her captive against him.

He tore his lips away and kissed a warm wet path down her throat, sucking the soft skin as his tongue swirled over her pulse point. The taste of her was sweet and intoxicating and he felt light-headed. Paige arched her back, offering herself up to his ministrations as one of her hands slid out of his hands and gripped the collar of his shirt.

The neckline of her dress only allowed Walter to kiss so far and the small part of his brain that was still thinking logically was grateful for that because if it was any lower, Walter was sure he'd pull a Ferret Bueller and just try to bury his face right down the front.

Paige pulled his lips back to hers and fumbled with the buttons on his shirt as he gripped her ass with both his hands, rocking her against him as he bucked his hips up into her. She whimpered into his mouth as their kisses grew more frantic and desperate.

"Yes," she hissed triumphantly into his mouth, when she finally got his shirt open.

She shoved it down his arms and Walter wriggled out of it as Paige ran her hands over him, pouting now because he still had an undershirt on.

Paige's dress was bunched up on her thighs and once Walter had divested himself of his shirt, he slid both hands beneath the hem, his fingers flexing and gripping the soft flesh greedily.

"Walter," she moaned his name as the pulsing between her thighs increased in intensity. She could feel him hard and insistent and her mind was flooded with images of him over her and beneath her and behind her and her entire body trembled and clenched with desire.

She'd admitted to Linda just that night how long it had been since she'd been with a man. Years too long and she was ripe and ready for some good sex. Logically, in the back of her mind, she realized this was a colossal mistake, and they were rushing things, but her lust addled brain and her pulsing body were calling the shots at the moment.

Paige's hand slipped down between then and she cupped his shaft in her palm, over his pants, and that brought Walter back to reality. He tore his lips away from hers and released her. His head fell back onto the cushion behind him as he gripped her wrist as he panted harshly.

Walter pulled her hand away from him and trapped it against her thigh and he gritted his teeth as his entire body was filled with both relief and regret. Paige let her head fall forward on his shoulder and she audibly sighed.

"Walter, we can't keep doing this. We can't keep ignoring these feelings between us."

"I know," he concurred bleakly. "I don't know how to do this, Paige."

"I don't either," she admitted quietly. "I've never been in this position before either."

He lifted his head and he shot her a disbelieving look before his eyes dropped down and then slowly traveled back up to her face. "Somehow I don't believe that."

Her lips curved and she deliberately rolled her hips in circles making Walter groan almost in pain. 'Well I don't exactly mean this position."

He grunted and pursed his lips as he released her hand and gripped her hips to stop her motion. "You don't need to share any more information about that thank you. And please stop that."

Paige chuckled gently as she tugged her wrist away from his fingers. The high from kissing him seemed to have sobered her a little, at least to be able to focus on more than just the desire to jump him."What I meant, Walter, is that I know this," She motioned with her hand between them, "Is complicated. You're my boss and neither one of us wants it to affect our working relationship or the team."

"I can't let it Paige. Scorpion didn't work before you and it won't work without you." He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "But I don't seem to either."

She tilted her head thoughtfully and she smiled softly at his words. "And I have to think of Ralph," she continued seriously. "I don't ever want anything between us to affect your relationship with him."

"I won't allow that," Walter said with such conviction that it made her swallow. This man loved her son, of that she had no doubt, despite his insistence that he didn't feel the emotion. And deep down she knew he loved her too - even though he couldn't process it just yet.

"But that's why this is a bad idea," Walter said gently. "Rushing whatever this is would be a mistake and I don't want to make a mistake with you. And I respect you too much to let our first time together to be like this." He motioned to their tousled state on the sofa. "I may not be adept at emotions and etiquette when it comes to dating and intimacy but I do know I would never want you to regret how this happened."

Paige nodded her head, silently acknowledging and agreeing with his words. She pressed on his shoulders and used them for leverage as she stood up and back before smoothing her dress down her thighs.

Walter stood up looking completely disheveled, his hair sticking up where she'd been gripping it and his t-shirt pulled out of his pants and askew.

"I'm going to go down and lock everything up. Do you want me to bring Ralph up here to sleep with you?"

She shook her head as she ran her fingers through her hair again. "No, leave him on the sofa down there. He'll be fine."

Walter nodded his head. "I'll be downstairs with him. I'll sleep in the Airstream."

"Walter, I can just take the couch. You shouldn't have to give up your bed."

"No," he replied adamantly. "Take my bed, Paige. I'll see you in the morning."

Walter turned and walked out of the apartment and Paige exhaled a shuddering breath once he was gone. Her entire body still tingled. She looked down at the sofa and was reminded of what had almost just happened. And as much as part of her wished they hadn't stopped, most of her was grateful they did. Not only for both of their sakes, but for her son's as well.

#############

Walter escaped the bedroom and the sight and smell of her. It was overwhelming him and he bolted down the stairs before he stopped at the work table and pressed his hands on it as he willed himself to calm down. His entire body ached for her and he needed to clear his head before he did something completely illogical and strode back up those stairs, threw her onto his bed and lost himself inside her.

He locked the front door and then walked to the back of the garage. He stepped outside and inhaled deeply, letting the cool night air clear his head. He wrinkled his nose as the scent of the dumpster across the alleyway assaulted his nostrils. But anything right now was better than the smell of her. The soft scent of lavender that always seemed to float around her, combined with the scent of her arousal that had enveloped him as she'd rocked seductively on his lap, had made it difficult to think.

Good god, the woman could move and Walter suspected if, or rather when, he let himself go with her she was going to rock his world.

After several minutes of smelling sour trash, he felt like his head was clear and his stomach was ready to turn so he walked back into the garage and locked the doors, securing the garage. Although he normally didn't engage the security system, he set the alarm because Ralph was staying the night. After debating for a another minute he walked over to the sofa and picked Ralph up, carrying the boy upstairs so he could be close to his mother.

When Walter walked into his apartment he saw Paige sound asleep on the sofa. Her dress was tossed over the back and she had put his button down on. It fell to her mid thigh but it rode up slightly as she lay on her side with her head resting gently on the arm. It revealed more of her flesh than he'd previously set eyes on and he forced himself to look away.

Walter walked over to his bed and set Ralph down before flipping the comforter over his small body. He watched the young boy for a moment before caressing his hair gently. Then he pulled his hand away and chuckled under his breath because he was petting the poor kid just like his mom did.

Walter grabbed a blanket from the wardrobe and walked over to the couch. He spread it over Paige's softly sleeping body and he smiled when he heard her snoring gently. That was often a side effect of alcohol in one's system, again another reason he didn't drink. Snoring prevented adequate oxygen from getting into the body and that negatively impacted the brain. But her snoring didn't sound obstructive so he didn't worry.

He sat down on the coffee table and watched her silently. She just looked so lovely and it made his chest ache, which was completely illogical. But Walter was beginning to think that his belief that love was illogical was, in fact, in itself, illogical. Because what he felt when he looked at, touched and kissed the woman sleeping in front of him defied his entire understanding of logic.

And it frightened him and excited him, and he had no idea where they were going to go from here or how they were going to navigate what happened tonight. But he couldn't ignore how he felt any longer. And it wasn't fair to ask her to either.

Walter still wasn't comfortable with the new dynamic between Happy and Toby, but so far it hadn't seemed to affect their working relationship or the team. Maybe it could be the same for him and Paige.

Walter wasn't sure how long he sat there but he finally felt his body sag, as his fatigue hit him. It was time to rest his body and mind. He stood up and tugged the blanket a little higher over Paige's torso before he gave in to temptation and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. She murmured unintelligibly in her sleep as she shifted, sighed and settled again. He gently tucked several soft strands of hair behind her ear and with one last look at the young genius in his bed, Walter walked downstairs.

As he lifted Ferret Bueller's sleeping body and stretched out on the sofa Walter realized how much he liked having them both sleeping under the roof of the garage with him.

He drifted to sleep as thoughts of having them there permanently floated through his brain.

And as he slept Walter rewound his dreams over and over.

* * *

So I liked Linda and I kinda wish the show would keep her around as a friend for Paige because I think it would be interesting to see her interact with someone outside the cyclone. That's where this idea came from but it actually morphed into more of Walter's POV... so I may do another one with Paige and Linda on their night out... but we'll see.

Anyway, thanks again for reading and reviewing, if you are so inclined.


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